Bowling alley



Oct. s, 1940,

R. L. LLOYD BOWLING ALLEY Filed Odi. l0, 1958 5 Sheets-Sheet l Oct. 8, 1940. l R, LLOYD I 2,217,063 v BOWLING ALLEY Filed Oct. l0, 1938 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 l inc/Mw uom 5y /1/5 firm/ML75.

Oct. 8, 1940. R. l.. LLOYD BOWLING ALLEY l 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Oct. l0, 1938 www@ 0E MLN. 5MM Lr n um MW 3M Patented Oct. 8, 1940 UNITED STATES BOWLING ALLEY Richard L. Lloyd,

Minneapolis, Minn.

Application October 10, 1938, Serial No. 234,148

8 Claims.

This invention relates to bowling alleys. It is one of the objects of the invention to provide a novel and improved bowling alley of.

knock-down construction including simple and effective means for holding the parts in assembled relation for play and at the same time stowed away in knock-down condition in small compass and which can be quickly and readily assembled for play when desired.

Another object is to provide a bowling alley having at the rear of the pin receiving base a novel mechanism for absorbing the kineticenergy of the balls after they have passed over the pin area of the pin base.

Still another object is to provide a novel and improved pin setting mechanism for a bowling alley.

The objects and advantages of the invention will more fully appear from vthe following description, made in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which like referen'cecharacters refer to the same or similar parts throughout the various views, and in which Fig. 1 is a view in side elevation illustrating a bowling alley embodying the invention;

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the bowling alley;

Fig.- 3 is a vertical section in enlarged scale taken on the line 3 3 of Fig. 1, as indicated by the arrows; i

Fig. 4 is a vertical transverse section taken on the line 4 4 of Fig. 1, as indicated by the ar` rows;

- Fig. 5 is a vertical longitudinal section taken onA the line 5 5 of Fig. 4, as indicated by the arrows;

Fig. 6 is an enlarged detail of certain of the parts shown in Fig. 5, a number of the parts being broken away and shown in section;

Fig. 7 is a longitudinal section taken on the line 1 1 of Fig. 2, but showing the parts in enlarged scale; Y y Y Fig. 8 is a detail taken chiefly in side elevation and vertical section of part of the pin setting mechanism, and

Fig. 9 is a plan view looking down structure shown in Fig. 8.

Referring to the drawings, a knock-down bowling alley is provided in accordance with the invention which can be employed for playing the game of tenpins or any other game commonly played on the ordinary bowling alley.

'Ihe bowling alley includes a pin base desig- 4on the nated as an entirety by the letter A. This pin base includes a rectangular block I0 having pairs of vertical openings running therethrough to receive the arms of U-shaped permanent magnets II, these magnets being located relative; to the block IU'at points which correspond to the tenpin receiving spots on an ordinary bowling alley. The magnets II rest on a triangular plate l2 underlying the blockvv I0 and `spaced therefrom -by spacing studs I3. At the sides of the block ID bars I4 and I5 are secured to the block and the upper surfaces of these bars are located' somewhat below the top surface of the block I0 to form gutter continuations I6. The two bars I4 and I5 projectrearwardly from the block IIJ and have inclined notches II and I8 cut therein so that the top surfaces of these notches lie in the same plane and an inclined ball chute I9 rests inthe notches I'I and I8 with the vforward edge of the chute ush against a portion of the rear endof block I0 and, of course, the chute- I9 is secured to the bars I4 and I5. Naturally, the topfsurface of the chute I9 is at a' lower level than the vtop of the block Ill. Attached to the outer sides of the two bars I4 and I5 respectively, are side plates 20 and 2| which extend from the rear ends of the bars I4,and I5 forwardly for some little distance in opposed relation. Inalignment with the chute I9 the plate 2l `is provided with an opening 22 to permit passage of the bowling balls from the chute I9 into a ball retaining cup 23 attached to the bar I5 adjacent side plate 2|, this cup having a downwardly and forwardly inclined bottom.

Extending across between the two side plates 20 and ZI adjacent the top rear edge thereof and over the chute I9 is a swinging gate 24 having end tab projections fulcrumed within angularshaped notches 25 formed by providing triangular-shaped openings in the side plates 20 and 2|. These openings. have rear vertical walls.- With this arrangement the gate 24 is mounted for limited rearward swinging movement, 'but cannot swing forwardly andasa result swinging movement of the gate is checked. The gate 24 normally hangs by gravity substantially vertically from the two plates 20 and 2|. A pad of absorbent material 26 is preferably secured to the forward side of the gate. With this arrangement aL bowling ball, after having moved with considerable force over the top surface of' block IIL-strikes the pad 26 of the gate 24 tending to swing the gate rearwardly and most of the kinetic energy ofthe ball is absorbed by the gate so that the ball drops without bouncing onto the chute I9 to roll down the chute through the opening 22 into the cup 23.

Forward of the two side plates 29 and 2l upstanding stanchions 21 are secured to the outer sides of the two bars I4 and I5 in opposing relation. These stanchions are preferably of spring steel and are bent toward each other slightly adjacent their upper ends and are equipped with notches 21a near their upper ends. A locator plate 28"overlies the block I0 and has lateral projecting arms with passages 28a therein through which the stanchions 21 extend. When the locator plate 21 is raised to the position shown in Fig. 3, the spring tension of the stanchions 21 will force the upper portionsof the stanchions inwardly to cause the arms of the locator plate 28 adjacent the inner sides of the opening 28a to be engaged within the notches 21a. The extreme upper ends of the stanchions form handles which can be swung outwardly to cause disengagement betweenthe notches 21a and the arms of the locator plate 28a, thereby permitting the locator plate and the parts carried thereby to be lowered downwardly against the block I9 of thepin base A while being guided by the stanchions 21. 1

Above each magnet II thelocator plate 28 is provided with a tenpin opening .28h through which a tenpin 29 may pass. Secured to the top of the locator plate 28 preferably at the rear of each opening 2811` is a pin supporting bracket 30 having a lower horizontal arm secured to the plate v28; an elongated upstanding arm and a top horizontal arm overlying the pin opening 28h. Each tenpin 29 is-provded with a bore 29a extending from top to bottom thereof andv fitting within the base of the tenpin is a small cup or block 3| formed of a metal such as iron which is subject to'attraction by a magnet. The top horizontal arm of each bracket 30 is provided, as best seen in Fig.'9, with a small aperture. 30a communicating with a narrow slot 30h running to the edge of the arm and a wire eye 5I has oppositely bent arms which project through the aperture 30a. Mounted in each cup 3|k is another eye 32. An elastic cord 33 for each pin 29is connected at-'one end to an upper eye 5I and is connected at its other end to an eye 32. This elastic is of such strength that it will hold the pin 29Ynormally upwardly in the position shown in Fig..8, but the elastic does not have sufficient strength to raise the pin 29 to which it applies from one of themagnets I I when the cup 3l of that pin is engaged with the magnet.

The pin.29 can be removed from its bracket 39 by raising the .eye 5I well above .the upper arni of the bracket and thereuponpassing the elastic cord 33 through the slo-t 30h. The upstanding Y arm of each bracket30 carries a pin confining ring 34 near its lower end which will encircle the pin 29 and conne it at the greatest diameter of the pin for guiding movement down onto the block I0 of the pin base A when the pin is in the raisedvposition shown in Fig. 8.

To set the pins 29 after some or all of them have been knocked downy by the bowling balls 3.5, it is merely necessary to disengage-the notches 21a of the stanchions 21 from the locator plate 28, whereupon by running the plate 28 downwardly on the stanchions against the block I0 of the pin base A, all the pins 29 are made to stand upright on the block I0 in their proper position with the various cups 3| of the pins in contactv with the magnets ll. :After theeplate. 28 is low= above the block I0.

ered, it is raised to the position shown in Figs. 1 and 3 whereupon the plate will be supported As the plate 28 is raised the elastic cords 33 will be stretched, but the force attracting the cups SI to the magnets II will be sufficient to maintain the pins in upright position on the blocks I0 against the tension of the elastic cords 33. They will be maintained in such position until knocked down by the balls 35 whereupon as the balls strike the pins, the cups 3| will be knocked off the magnets Il and thereupon the elastic cords 33 will raise the pins 29 to their upper positions through the pin openings 28b in the plate 28.

'Ihe pin base A is preferably supported as by four legs 36 mounted in the bars I4 and I5 and projecting downwardly therefrom. A cross supporting bar 31 preferably runs across between the forward ends of the two bars I4 and I5.

To form a ball runway a plurality of ball runway sections 38 are provided, each of these sections including a pair of side bars 38a supporting a deck 38h. The various runway` sections 38. are longitudinally aligned with the block I0 of the pin base A with the top surfacesv of the decks 38h flush with the top. surface of the block I9. The rear runway section 38 is supported at its rear end by the cross bar 31 and cross bars 39 support adjacent ends of thev various runway sections. These cross bars 39 are notched downwardly from their upper. edges, as best shown in Fig. 4, to receive the side bars of the runway sections and it will be noticed from an inspection of Fig. 4 that laterally of the runway sections 38 the cross bars 39 extend below the level of the top surfaces of the decks 38h.. Each cross bar 39 is supported as from the floorrby means, of a pair of legs 4 0 attached to the cross bar. Attached to the forwardmost end of the forwardmost runway section 38 is a cross slat 4I, best seen in Fig. 7, and in order that thev various runway sections may be held tightly in engagement with .each other,` and pressed toward the block IIJ of the pin base A, a bar spring 42 is secured.

at its lower end to the forward side of the front cross bar 39 and the free end portion ofy this spring bears against the cross slat 4I to urge all of the runway sections 38 toward the block II) of the pin base VA.

In order to hold the various parts in assembled relation and to permit of ease in assembling and in disassembling the parts as well as to assist in forming ball gutters at the sides of the ball runway sections 38,aA plurality of rods 43 are provided. Each rod 43, as best shown in Fig, 6, has one reduced end 43a forming a dowel pin which isscrew threaded nearits end. Each rod, 43 also has a tapped recess 43h in its other endY adapted to receive the screw threaded portion of the dowel 43a of an adjacent rod 43. 'Ihe Various cross bars 39 are provided with openings 39a in spaced relation outwardly from'the side edges of the runway sections 38Y to receive the dowels 43a and these openings 39a are at such a level that when a dowel .43a is inserted in one of the openings the upper portions of the rod 43 carry.. ing the dowel will be approximately flush with the top surfaces of those portions of the cross bar 39 laterally of the runway sections 38.

The forward ends of the two bars I4A and I5 are provided with suitable tapped openings 44 to receive dowels 43a, these tapped openings being of course aligned at the same level with the openings 39a in the cross bars 39. In assembling the bowling alley, a pair of the rods 43 are releasablyconnected to the two bars I4 and I5 of the pin base A by screwing the dowels 43afof these two rods' into the 'tapped openings 44. A second pairof rods 43k arewthen used andthe dowels 43a of these rods are passed 'through the openings 39a of the rearmostfcross bar 39 andthe dowels of these latter two rods are then screwed into the tapped openings 43h of the first two rods 43 to produce the structurefshown in Fig. 6. It will be seen that the cross bar39 is clamped between ends ofthe rst two rods 43 used and shoulders formed adjacent theends of thev next two rods used. Additional'crossbars 39 and rods 43 are employed until a runway of the proper length is obtained. VThe front cro-ssk struction to properly t the forward ends of the forwardmost rods 43. Of course, the runway sections 38 are put in place to rest on the cross bars 31 and 39 after the cross bars 39 and rods 43 have been assembled together with the pin base A. It Will be noted, as perhaps best shown in Figs. 4 and 5, that the upper surfaces of the rods 43 lie at a level somewhat below the top surfaces of the runway sections 38 for a purpose presently to appear, and it will also be noted that these rods 43 run parallel to the side edges of the runway sections 38 in outwardly spaced relation therefrom a distance preferably somewhat greater than the radius of one of the balls 35 and less than the diameter of one of the balls.

Secured to the forward sides of each cross bar 39 adjacent each outer end thereof is an angularshaped rail bracket 46 shown in detail in Figs. 4, and 6. Each rail bracket has a short arm secured to the cross bar 39 and it has an elongated upstanding arm within the upper end portion of which a pin 41 is secured, this'pin projecting from both faces of the bracket. Attached to the sides of the two bars I4 and I5 are a pair of rail brackets 48 carrying pins 49 and similarl to the brackets 46 with the exception that the short arms of the brackets 48 are set normal to the long upstanding arms of these brackets. The brackets 48 are of course located closely adjacent the forward edges of the stanchions 21. Rods 5l] forming side rails have pin openings within their ends to receive the projecting portions of the pins 41 and pins 49. The brackets 46 and 48 have considerable resiliency and accordingly, the rods 50 forming the side rails can be engaged with the pins 44 and 41 aft-er the rods 43 and crossbars 39 have been assembled together. For example, a pair of rear rods 50 can be first applied by engaging the forward end portions of the pins 49 in the rear pin openings of these rods, whereupon the two rearmost rail brackets 46 can be sprung forwardly and the rear portions of the pins 41 of these brackets 46 can be aligned with the forward pin openings in the rear rods 50 and the brackets 46 can then be released. In like manner the more forward rods can be applied.

It will be noted that the side rails formed by the rods 50 are located well above the level of the top surfaces of the runway sections 38, and the rods 58 are also spaced outwardly from the side edges of the runway sections 38 preferably a distance approximating the diameter of the balls 35 employed. The side edges of the runway sections 38, the rods 43 and the side rails 5G accordingly form ball gutters at the sides of the runway sections 38 so that if the balls run sideways off dotted lilies as they will appearwhen rolling' down the gutters.

It will be seen `that an exceedingly cheap and simple bowling alley is providedwhch can-be shipped in knocked-down condition and quickly and readily assembledfor use in bowling` and which can again be knocked down fand stowed away in small space. l f i It will, of course, be understood that various changes may be made in the form, details, arrangement and proportions of the various parts without departure from the scope of the present invention, which generally stated, consists in the matter shown and described and set forth in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A bowling alley having in combination a pin base, a plurality of ball runway sections alignedv with said pin base, the side edges of which sections form the inner edges of ball gutters, cross supports supporting said sections, tie rods spaced outwardly from the side edges of said sections located below the top surfaces thereof, extending between and forming ties between the various cross supports and forming the bottoms of the ball gutters and rails spaced outwardly from said rods and extending above the level of the top surfaces of said sections and forming the outer sides of said gutters.

2. The structure dened in claim l, and resilient means pressing said runway sections towards said pin base.

3. The structure defined in claim 1, said cross supports being notched to receive said runway sections.

4. The structure dened in claim 1, said cross supports being notched to receive said runway sections and resilient means pressing said runway sections towards said pin base.

5. A knock-down bowling alley comprising a pin base, a plurality of ball runway sections aligned with said pin base, a plurality of cross supports upon which said runway sections rest, a plurality of rods spaced laterally from the sides of said runway sections located at a level below the top surfaces of said runway sections and projecting between said pin base and the cross support most closely adjacent the pin base and between adjacent cross supports, said rods holding the parts in assembled relation, said pin base and said cross supports being mutually constructed to permit of releasable connection between the same and said pin base and cross supports, rails spaced outwardly from said rods and eX- tending at higher levels than the top surfacesI of said runway sections, the side edges of said runway sections, said rods and said rails cooperating to form ball gutters.

6. A bowling alley comprising a pin base upon which tenpins may be placed, a plurality of ball runway sections aligned with said pin base and having top surfaces flush with the top surface of said pin base, cross supports on which said runway sections rest, rods spaced from the sides of said runway sections and located at lower levels than the top Surfaces of said runway sections, said rods having means releasably connecting said rods to each other and to said pin base and said. cross suppOrts to hold said pin base, runway sections and cross supports in assembled relation. means resiliently urging said runway sections towards said pin base and side rails having releasable connection with said pin base and cross supports and extending well above the top surfaces of said runway sections and cooperating with the side edges of said runwaysect-ions and said rodsI to form ball gutters.

7- A bowling alley having in combination a pin base, a plurality .of ball runway sections aligned with said pin base, the side edges of which sections form the inner edges of ball gutters, cross supports supporting said sections and tie rods spaced outwardly from the side edges of said sections, extending between and forming ties between the various cross supports and cooperating with tlie side edges of said runway sectOnS to assist in forming the ball gutters and in supporting the balls as they run in such gutters.

8.v A, bowling alley having in combination, a Din, base, a plurality of ball runway sections alignedl with said pin base, a plurality of cross supports located at spaced intervals from said pin base and formed to loosely receive such runway sections, tie rods securing together such cross supports and said pin base and means carried by the cross support most remote from said pin base, normally bearing against the runway section most remote from said pin base and urging al1 0f said runway sections into tight engagement with each other and toward said pin base.

' RICHARD L. LLOYD. 

